What’s Love Got To Do With It
John Campbell had a busy weekend along with the rest of the Editorial team!

SOME YEARS AGO an Hibs supporting work colleague of mine announced to all and sundry that he didn’t just like Hibs, he loved them as they are part of his life.  We were in ‘mixed’ company at the time, you know, football fans of various Clubs and a number who don’t follow the game at all.  Needless to say my colleague was roundly ridiculed by the non football fans for being ‘sad’ whilst those who supported other Clubs joined in with the description but gave their reasons as failing to understand how anybody could feel that way about Hibs!

One thing is for sure, my colleague may have uttered the words out loud but all he did was express how he, I and thousands of other Hibbies feel about their Club.  Love of Hibernian may be exclusive to Hibs fans and but I have no doubt that supporters of other teams will say they feel the same about their own Club – it’s just that its not Hibs so it surely cannot possibly be as special a feeling as the one we feel for Hibernian FC because as any Hibs fan will tell you, we ARE different whilst the others just think they are!

The Hibs.net crew had a few problems getting to Preston - but the damaged bus was soon replaced and no injuries (hibs.net)

On the weekend just passed I travelled to Leeds to watch Erin Hibs play in and win the British Internet Cup Final courtesy of a fine 2–0 victory over a plucky Kilmarnock side.  It was brilliant to watch a Hibs team winning a Cup and believe me there was a tingle down the spine watching guys in Hibs strips playing well and taking their chances to secure the silverware.  Okay, the guys in the jerseys may not be Steven Glass or Scott Brown but you can tell by their body language that they are every bit as proud as the professionals to be wearing that famous green and white outfit and to win in it.

On the Saturday I travelled cross country to Preston to meet up with those travelling down on the Hibs.net coach for the friendly match at Deepdale against Craig Brown’s Preston North End.  Attached to the Stadium is the Museum of Soccer (well the English version at any event) and I can tell you it is a fantastic set up and well worth a visit if you are in the area, not that the Hibs.netters managed on this occasion because there was some pre match socialising to be taken care of!  It was a lovely day and there was a real party atmosphere as the travelling hordes seemed to all descend on the local pub, The Sumner which has quite probably never experienced anything quite like the “Hibees Bounce” performed both inside and out of the pub! 

Much alcohol was consumed before the five minute walk to the Stadium and our first sighting of the team for Bobby Williamson’s Green and White Army which was in fine voice and seemed to stun the home support into silence because I certainly don’t recall much by way of opposition to the fine singing of the Hibs fans.  Looking around me as the stand seemed to fill up I was acutely aware of the anticipation amongst those fans.  The excitement of another season about to commence, one which will no doubt have its defeats and disappointments but nonetheless one which seems to have taken a long time arriving after a turbulent, Straiton dominated, close season.  

Scott Brown - looked sharp in Preston (sns)

Out came the Hibs to huge applause, resplendent in the current away strip of which there was much evidence amongst the support.  As a traditionalist and I would much prefer to see Hibs in their green and white strips, those same ones which cause a tingle down the back each and every time I see them, but I understand marketing and the need to generate revenue so I am trying hard to acquire a ‘tingle’ for the away outfit – trouble is they keep changing the damned thing so there is no constant as with the green!

The starting eleven was almost certainly not Bobby’s first choice eleven and although I think the squad numbers have not yet been officially announced I do believe we saw evidence that they have been allocated, what with the new keeper wearing number one and Derek Riordan wearing number ten, for example.  Hibs deployed a four, four two line up for the most part with Brown and Riordan partnered up front and McManus wide right of midfield.  In his white boots Mr McManus certainly caught the eye but in a swiftly conducted poll the Hibs.net Admin staff at the game voted for those boots to be dumped and duly despatched a text to Thomas telling him exactly that!!  Strangely, no response has yet been recorded.

There was much chopping and changing in formation with Hibs securing an early lead only to relinquish it in the final minute in a scarily familiar way.  To be fair, however, the team had been transformed by the use of seven substitutions and concentration probably slipped a little as a result.  As a “half full glass” kinda person I refuse to believe that it’s a ‘here we go again with the late goals’ scenario.  By and large the defence looked solid and in Doumbe it probably contained the Man of the Match although Andy McLaren surely ran him close for the honour.

All in all a worthwhile exercise for players, Manager and fans alike.  The players got to play a game, the Manager got to try a few wee experiments without the pressures of having to get a result and the fans got to resume loving their Club, as part of their lives.  Whatever the future holds for Hibernian Football Club, whether we leave Easter Road or whether we stay the one constant will be that as Hibs fans we love our Football Club and so are emotionally affected by anything and everything that happens to it.  Those currently in stewardship would do well to take notice of the fact that business plans are one thing as is a strong financial standing but neither of those things mean diddley squat when measured against that tingle that runs down the spine of every Hibs fan when they watch their heroes take the field of play.

Like my colleague, I don’t just like Hibs, I love them because they are part of my life.